Message from IFPO Chairman

The Institute of Fire Prevention Officers

Message from IFPO Chairman

Dear Members and Friends

By now I am sure that your thoughts are turning to the Christmas break and those of you with younger children or grandchildren will be preparing for the excitement that will ensue! Memories of frantically constructed bicycles and millions of Lego bricks all over the place spring very much to mind. Let the pandemonium begin! For those of us for whom the pace is slightly less manic, I’m sure good food and great company and a pause from the normal run of things may be just what we have been waiting for. Whatever Christmas means to you or brings, my wish is that it should be a time of good cheer and the creator of great memories.

As chair of the EC it is also a time for reflection and to count my blessings. I look back to a year that has been challenging but productive too. Your EC members have been very active this year and we have seen some splendid results. Membership is growing steadily and the activities such as the excellent presentations we have had this year have provided a great deal of solid discussion. Our magazine has made its reappearance and the web site will be relaunched at the end of this year too.

The fire risk assessment register has proved to be a very complex issue. I believe that this will take a degree of management in the light of events this year and the impact that one particular fire has had on the entire fire safety industry.

This Christmas it may be appropriate for us all to pause for a moment and bear a thought for those who will have no home to go to because of that fire; or worse still will sit at tables with empty spaces. I am sure that all of us associated with the IFPO have a very clear recognition that lives, and hearts were broken at Grenfell. I feel sure that we will all double our efforts to ensure that the work we do continues to protect lives and property from the ravages of fire in the future; for that is after all our key aim.

Looking to the future there is no doubt in my mind that there will be challenges ahead for all in the fire safety sector. However, I see no unwillingness within our organisation to identify what needs to be changed and get on and deliver those improvements.

On behalf of all the members I thank all those on the EC who have contributed so much this year to help us get where we are today. Our finances are on an even keel, our communications are improving, and we are becoming more involved with the work of the Fire Sector Federation. So, to all the EC I say thank you for your time, effort and dedication. For travelling miles across country to attend meetings; for evenings spent working on material, reports, administration and all the other matters that are required just to keep us going. Quite literally we could not do this without you.

To the IFPO members and associates. Thank you for supporting the organisation, attending the meetings and getting involved. After all, the entire reason for all this work is to create an organisation for our members and to promote fire safety more widely across the UK and beyond. Thank you all.

It only remains for me to wish you and your families a safe, wonderful and merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year.